As students learn physics, they are often required to reason about the behavior of macroscopic and microscopic phenomena, and to synthesize prior knowledge from several different areas of physics to construct understanding of new ideas. This can be a tremendously difficult cognitive task for novice students, especially when the unfamiliar…

As Barry Brummett (1984) has argued, the purpose of rhetorical theory is pedagogical--providing students with resources for understanding the rhetorical transactions that they encounter every day. An understanding of the implications of ideology is necessary for advanced communication students. Kellner and Share (2005) contend that this is…

Describes the ways in which our own view of the world effects the way that we interpret information. Contends that we need to know the difference between perceptions and illusions. Discusses the world of illusions; haptic senses; adaptive adjustments; and visual illusions. (ZWH)

The most popular activities from APA's successful "Activities Handbooks for the Teaching of Psychology" are gathered together and updated in this book of teachers' favorites. The lesson plans, which encourage active learning and involve the whole class, have stood the test of time and proven themselves to be entertaining, effective, and easy to…

A structured system of visual features is seen to parallel the propositional hierarchy of operations usually associated with the parsing of algebraic expressions. Women more than men were found to depend on these visual cues. Possible causes and consequences are discussed. Subjects were secondary and college students. (Author/DC)

Discusses children's ideas about colored objects and colored shadows, with special attention to the organization of these ideas into mental models. The clarification of these models provides instructional tools that serve to assess and confront students' naive conceptions. Subjects were visitors to a science museum who engaged in interactive…

Provides examples of science activities in which children use their senses in manipulating objects and ideas. Suggests that these and other activities be extended to help children deepen their understanding of scientific concepts. (JN)

The literature is reviewed on the development of the temporal dimension in hearing-impaired students. Discussed are historical and cultural perspectives on the concept of time, perception of time, linguistic expression of time, and spatial and temporal orientation. Directions for future research are suggested. (Author/JDD)

Geometry is a fundamental part of the mathematics foundation provided by elementary education. Children have an intuitive understanding of geometry that they draw on when dealing with geometric concepts in activities like drawing, playing hopscotch, defending their "half of the room," and playing sports. This book offers no instruction…

Describes the Agam program, a 36-unit curriculum program to introduce students to basic visual concepts and that applies visual abilities and visual thinking to learning tasks. Describes two units at the third grade level, "Ratio and Proportion" and "Numerical Intuition," and makes observations of the students' learning. (MDH)

Intended to assist teachers as they assess, plan for, and teach deaf blind students, this manual describes a process for adapting curricula for students who function within the 0-24 month developmental period, also known as the sensorimotor period. The manual's first section provides an overview of project activities including the literature…

This book was written for practicing primary (elementary) school teachers and for anyone concerned with inservice or preservice science teacher education. The overall purpose of the book is to identify ways in which ideas about electricity and simple circuits can be taught effectively in primary school classrooms. This book is based on in-depth…